PENN STATE BRANDYWINE NICE 2009

Penn State Brandywine
Nice 2009
Tour # 1997
March 6 - March 14, 2009
From $ 1,495.00 (including airfare, taxes & fuel surcharge at $425.00)

Spend Springbreak 2009 in the South of France. A full week in Nice, on the French Riviera, will allow you to enjoy the Mediterranean lifestyle, the villages of Provence, the French cuisine and culture, the luxury of Monaco and Monte Carlo, the colors and the light which inspired Picasso, Chagall, Matisse, Cezanne, Renoir, Van Gogh and multitude of other artists!

ITINERARY

Day 1 Friday, March 6     DEPARTURE
Depart from Brandywine campus by coach at 11:30am to go to Kennedy airport. Air France flight # AF017 non-stop to Paris leaves at 5:55pm. Check-in at Kennedy should be around 3:00pm.

Day 2 Saturday, March 7     NICE
Arrive at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport at 7:25am. Your connecting flight to Nice AF # 7716 leaves at 9:50am. Arrive at Nice International airport at 11:20am. Transfer to Hotel Saint Gothard, a 2 Star hotel very conveniently located in the center of Nice. Remainder of the day at leisure to explore the city: the Promenade des Anglais, Cimiez, the Old Town, the flower market, Place Massena, etc.

Day 3 Sunday, March 8     NICE
Full day free. Take the train or the bus to Antibes. Visit the Picasso Museum and the Old Town.

Day 4 Monday, March 9      NICE
Full day free. Optional excursion by coach to Provence: Arles, the city of Van Gogh, its Roman arena and Aix en Provence, the city of Cezanne.

Day 5 Tuesday, March 10     NICE
Full day free. Take the train or the bus to the Principality of Monaco. See the old town, the changing of the guards at the Palace, the Oceanographic Museum, the famous casino and the great hotels of Monte Carlo.

Day 6 Wednesday, March 11     NICE
Full day free. Take the bus to Vence and / or Saint Paul de Vence. Both medieval towns are circled by city walls. In Vence, visit the “Chapelle du Rosaire” by Matisse ; in Saint Paul visit the Maeght Foundation.

Day 7 Thursday, March 12     NICE
Full day free. In Nice, visit the great museums dedicated to Matisse and Chagall.

Day 8 Friday, March 13      NICE
Full day free. Take the train and spend the day in Cannes, known for the film festival. Enjoy "La Croisette" and the beach.

Day 9 Saturday, March 14     RETURN
Transfer to Nice International airport for your Air France flight # AF 7715 to Paris Charles de Gaulle departing at 3:40pm. Connecting flight from Paris AF # 008 leaves at 6:50pm and arrives Kennedy airport at 10:05pm.

Air Schedule

March 6   AF 017     JFK CDG    5:55pm - 7:25am (March 7)
March 7   AF 7716   CDG NCE    9:50am - 11:20am
March 14 AF 7715    NCE CDG   3:40pm - 5:15pm
March 14 AF 008     CDG JFK     6:50pm - 10:05pm

Hotel Address

Hotel Saint-Gothard
Tel # 011 33 4 93 88 13 41
20 rue Paganini
06000 Nice
France

PRICE $1,495.00

This price includes:

• Round trip flights with Air France to Nice via Paris.
• Airport taxes at $145.00 subject to change at time of ticketing.
• “Q” Tax for fuel surcharge @ $280.00 as per July 1, subject to change at time of ticketing.
• Transfers from Brandywine campus to JFK and return.
• 7 nights hotel accommodation in quad room.
• Continental breakfast daily.
• Transfers from Nice airport to your hotel.
• Tuition to 6 credits for full time students at any Penn State campus.
• Supervision by Penn State faculty members.

This price does not include:

• Single room supplement + $ 350.00
• Twin room supplement + $70.00
• Triple room supplement + $ 20.00
• Optional excursion to the Provence + $ 125.00
• Cost of personal items such as phone, drinks, laundry, etc.
• Meals other than breakfast.
• Passport & visa fee.
  IMPORTANT! Indicate your nationality to Celestial Voyagers on first registering for the trip. All participants must have a passport valid through September 14, 2009. Some non-U.S. citizens may also require a Schengen visa in addition to a passport and a greencard or equivalent is necessary.
• All travelers, students and visitors must purchase the required HTH health insurance for international travel at a cost of $6.75. Website for on-line enrollment will be provided.
• Visitors fee for all participants who do not have a Penn State ID - $50.00
  This sum, which includes compulsory Penn State Insurance, is required from any participant who does not have a student, faculty, or staff I.D card issued by Penn State University. The funds are applied toward grants to enable worthy Penn State Brandywine students to join our trips when they would otherwise be unable to do so for financial reasons.
• Optional travel insurance covering trip cancellation in case of medical reasons.

REGISTRATION

Trip Registration versus Course Registration
All travel arrangements are made through Celestial Voyagers, a fully insured tour operator (800 651 6262). Do not contact Penn State professors or employees regarding flights, hotels or travel information. They may not have the very latest information.

Course Registration
For information regarding Penn State University courses contact the Brandywine Campus Registrar’s office:
Contact: Mrs. Joanna McGowan
Tel: 610 892 1401
Email jxm1019@psu.edu
Do not try to get any information or to register by Touch-Tone for courses connected to trips.

Credit courses
A number of Penn State 3-credit courses, not requiring regular attendance at Brandywine campus, are offered in combination with all Brandywine International Studies trips. Approved full time students at all Penn State Campuses are eligible to take two courses (6 credits) at no additional cost. To establish eligibility at any Penn State campus, the student should obtain his/her adviser’s permission to register then receive the confirmation of approval from the Brandywine DAA and from the teacher of the course. The courses may also be taken by non-Penn State students for transfer-credit, but in those cases the applicable tuition fee will apply.

Course Description

COMM 100 (GS) Mass Media and Society      Karrie Bowen (kab44@psu.edu)
Through chapter readings, experiential exercises, and classroom discussions, it is hoped that this course will: 1) provide a historical background as well as a contemporary overview of the mass media, 2) increase understanding of the important issues facing mass media, 3) illustrate various topics through real-world, first- hand accounts by media professionals, and 4) hone your critical thinking skills as they relate to your interaction with mass media.

FRENCH 138 (GH) French Culture Through Film   Dr. Alita Kelley (kak7@psu.edu)
The purpose of the course is to broaden the student’s horizons so that s/he will be able to make the most of the trip and in the case of students travelling abroad for the first time, to dispel apprehension. While knowledge of the foreign language is not required, the course will include instructions on concepts of politeness and courtesy, and basic expressions needed to “get along” in a country where the language is not one’s own.

IN ART 1/ART HIST 100 (GA) The Arts      Dr. Paul Greene (pdg4@psu.edu)
This course is not designed to test your artistic background, nor your skills in music-making, drawing, or acting. Instead, it is an introduction to the arts that targets your ability to consider and verbally discuss what meanings and functions an artwork takes on in our lives, and how it relates to other artworks in aesthetic traditions in Southern France. The course will not tell you what is "good" or "bad" art, but instead invite you to decide this for yourself, in relation to artistic traditions that have been cultivated over the centuries in France.

Trip Registration
All participants planning to share a room must inform Celestial Voyagers when they register for the trip. Failure to do so may oblige Celestial Voyagers to assign you different roommates.

Avoiding Single Room Supplement
If you have no roommate, ask Celestial Voyagers to choose one for you. Indicate your gender, age and if you are a smoker or nonsmoker. We’ll try (but obviously can’t guarantee) to accommodate you with a congenial person. If you are the last one to register for the trip and we cannot allocate you a double room due to an odd number of male and female participants, you may be allocated a triple room or have to pay the single room supplement.

For this trip, Hotel Saint Gothard offers mostly triple and quad rooms. If you plan to stay with friends, make sure that you reserve the proper size room as early as possible. Should any of the friend planning to stay with you cancel, we reserve the right to replace him or her with another passenger or to adjust the price you paid. Late charges and adjustments may not be possible.

Trip Registration Online
Click here: http://www.celestialvoyagers.com/html/reservations.htm

1) Fill out information. i.e. Destination: Nice - Tour Name: Brandywine Nice - Tour number: #1997; etc.
2) In “comments” be sure to indicate (as applicable):
    a) Whether you require a single, double, triple or quad room.
    b) The optional tour to Aix-oen Provence if you are interested.
3) Mail your $ 300.00 deposit together with a photocopy of your passport (if available) to Celestial Voyagers within 48 hours.

Trip Registration by Mail
Brochures are available at Penn State Brandywine Campus in the following locations:
Library, Lounge and Room 129 of the Vairo Building
Registrars Office, Main Building
Or contact:
Gail Wray, Administrative Assistant
Phone: 610 892 1472
Email: gbw1@psu.edu

Complete the registration form included in the brochure and mail it to Celestial Voyagers with your $ 300.00 deposit and a photocopy of your passport (if available).

Celestial Voyagers
79 Watermill Lane
Great Neck, NY 11021

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Deposit $300.00 (Non refundable)
Deposit is due with registration on or before December 4, 2008.

Balance due no later than December 5, 2008
All payments by check to be made out to Celestial Voyagers escrow account
Your deposit will assure your reservation with the airline, the hotel and other suppliers. It must be sent with a copy of your passport, the registration form and the optional travel insurance premium if you choose so.

Late Fee
$100.00 or more late fee for payment received after December 5, 2008.

Credit card payments:
We accept Visa and Mastercard. Since Merchant fees are not included in the price, should you wish to pay by credit card, a 3.5% supplement applies to the amount paid.

Cancellation
All cancellations must be received in writing. In case of cancellation the following penalties will apply:

• $150.00 non refundable processing fee.
• $150.00 penalty for cancellation received between October 31 and December 4, 2008.
• 50% of total price for cancellations between December 5 and February 2.
• 100% of total price for cancellations on or after February 3 or in case of no-show.

Travel Insurance

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

Pre-departure meeting
Airline tickets and travel documents will be delivered in person at 12 noon, Friday February 20, 2009 in Room 215 Main Building, Penn State Brandywine Campus, 25 Yearsley Mill Road, Lima (Media), PA[off Route 352]. Tel: 610 892 1415

Attendance at this pre-departure meeting is strongly advised. Questions will be answered to put your mind at rest. If you cannot attend or send a reliable person to pick up your tickets, contact your professor so alternative arrangements can be made.

Special Delivery of Documents
If you cannot attend the above meeting nor have the documents collected, Celestial Voyagers can send them via special delivery, FEDEX or US Postal Service. Someone must be at the mailing address in order to sign for the documents when they are delivered. This service will be charged to you separately. A $20.00 mailing fee will apply.

CONTACTS

Dr. Alita Kelley
Tel: 610 918 3793 or 484 574 1397
Email: kak7@psu.edu

Dr Michael Madden
Tel: 610-891-0182
Email: madden_601@yahoo.com
Or
Celestial Voyagers
79 Watermill Lane
Great Neck, NY 11021
Francoise, Leigh or Susy
Phone: 516 829 1525 or toll-free 800 651 6262
Fax: 516 829 0703
Email : susy@celestialvoyagers.com

Family and/or friends of Penn State students, faculty and employees are
welcome on our trips!